Betty Akeredolu, widow of the late former Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, has publicly rejected a planned memorial lecture organized by the Ondo State government in honor of her husband.
The event, scheduled to take place in Akure on Friday as part of the first anniversary of Akeredolu’s passing on December 27, 2023, has stirred controversy.
The memorial lecture is set to feature prominent lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) as the keynote speaker and will be chaired by Bashorun Seinde Arogbofa under the “Akeredolu Leadership Lecture Series.” However, Betty Akeredolu took to social media on Wednesday to distance herself and her family from the event, accusing the government of excluding them from the planning and failing to formally invite them.
Expressing her dissatisfaction on her X account, Betty labeled the event as “insidious propaganda” and dismissed it as a poorly organized effort by the current administration. She wrote, “Which legacy? Lecture, my foot! This is not for Aketi because my family and I are not aware. Damn it! You and your co-travellers cannot shave Aketi’s head in his absence. This is an insidious propaganda carried too far!”
In her post, Betty Akeredolu further alleged that the memorial lecture is a guise for financial exploitation, asserting that the government’s intention is to “chop money on Aketi’s head” rather than genuinely honoring her late husband’s legacy.
“Now you want to pretend by organising one yeye lecture for Aketi’s memorial as an entry point to chop money on Aketi’s head. You are on your own o! If this is not #Yahoo #419 lecture, tell me what it is!” she added.
https://x.com/adaowere1/status/1871891305757815161?t=2uMqyIgwv3DCOgEaD70mKQ&s=19
In response to Betty Akeredolu’s statements, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ebenezer Adeniyan, clarified that there is no conflict between the government and the Akeredolu family. Adeniyan insisted that the family had been invited and that the lecture is a genuine effort to honor the former governor, who passed away while serving in office.
“Akeredolu was not just a family man. He was the governor of Ondo State. He died while serving the state. He was given a state burial, and the state governor attended all the burial activities in Akure, Owo, and Ibadan,” Adeniyan explained. “The state government is organizing this lecture to mark the first anniversary of his passing, and an invitation has been extended to the family for representation. There is no dispute between the government and the family.”
Adeniyan emphasized that the late governor was honored with a state burial and that the government remains committed to celebrating his legacy, with assurances that additional commemorative events will take place as part of the anniversary activities.
